Bridge built using taxpayers’ money in 2011-16 depreciating without approach; Bizzare Panchayat Condition in Karimganj

No concrete road or approach, a bridge built by the gaon Panchayat During the 4th Assam State Finance Commission of 2011-16 is still incomplete. The bridge lies in the middle of nowhere over an agricultural canal and since its construction has never been used by the locals. The Panchayat President or its representatives are unresponsive in this matter. Today, the bridge is to the extent of falling down at any point in time as it was neither built properly nor maintained.

This bizarre incident is from South Karimganj’s Saidkhani Village under Illaspur GP. The locals there have repeatedly urged the gaon panchayat to construct the village properly, but they alleged that the Panchayat representative says the bridge was built for the locals to fall off and die from there. As per them, 4 lakh 10 thousand rupees was sanctioned during the 4th State Finance Commission and even half of it was not properly used to build the bridge.

From the locals, it appears that the husband of the Panchayat President Amir Uddin manages the sanctions received from the government and most of it is misused by him. In Karimganj, a handful of gaon panchayats along with government officials are running this scam and looting the money sanctioned for the development of the villages.

The bridge is in such deplorable condition that if more than 5 people walk the bridge together, the concrete slabs might break and fall off along with the people. Many students from the village on another side of the bridge have to come to the other side for going to school and for other purposes. The bridge was sanctioned to make the commute easy for the people but now it’s a potential life risk. It is to be seen what will be the response of the Rural Development Department on this life-risking bridge, which is on the verge of falling down.